Records of the National Security Agency/Central Security Service (Record Group 457)

Records Released Under the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Disclosure Acts

Select documents relating to Nazi War Crimes (Entry A1-9035)

Notice to Researchers in Records Released under the Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act and the Japanese Imperial Government Records Act

The Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group (IWG), in implementing the Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act and the Japanese Imperial Government Records Act, has taken the broadest view in identifying records that may be responsive to the Acts. Information relevant to the Acts is often found among files related to other subjects. In order to preserve the archival integrity of the files, the IWG and the National Archives and Records Administration, where possible, have released entire files together, not just those items related to Nazi or Japanese war criminals, crimes, persecution, and looted assets. These records may relate to persons who are war criminals, former Axis personnel who are not war criminals, victims of war crimes or persecution, or civilian or military personnel investigating Nazi activities. The records may also include mention of, or information about, persons having no connection to these activities.

Boxes 1B-4. Record location: 230: 86/46/4

This series relates to topics arising out of World War II, and includes paraphrases of intercepted messages, translations of captured documents, and background materials. Topics include the history, organization, and membership of the German intelligence services and elements of the Allgemeine SS (Schutzstaffel) Standarten (General Protection Force Regiments); German economic relations with neutral countries, including Colombia, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland; support for Germany in Argentina and other Latin American countries; German conscription of foreign workers; the liberation and repatriation of conscripted workers and Allied prisoners-of-war; conditions in countries occupied by Germany, including France, Greece, and Italy; the postwar locations, activities, and fates of those accused of war crimes or sympathy for, affiliation with, or membership in the Nazi Party; negotiations among the Allies over restitution and reparations for gold and other assets and property looted by the Nazis; and differences among the Allies over how to govern postwar Germany.

All questions regarding these and other relevant records likely to be in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration should be directed to: Archives2reference@nara.gov

Select documents relating to Japanese War Crimes (Entry ZZ-10)

Boxes 1-3. Record location: 230: 86/46/5

This series relates to topics arising out of World War II, and includes paraphrases of intercepted messages, translations of captured Japanese documents, and background materials. Topics include U.S. reaction to Japan's bombing of the U.S. gunboat Panay in China in 1937; conditions in areas occupied by Japan; requests from the Allies to Japan to both account for civilian internees and prisoners-of-war (POWs), and to treat them humanely; the sinking of the Japanese ship Awa Maru by a U.S. submarine despite a U.S. government guarantee of safe conduct for the ship to carry relief supplies for U.S. POWs; Japanese apprehension as the Allies learned new details about the mistreatment of, and atrocities against, POWs and civilian internees; attempts to account for, recover, and arrange reparations for the gold and other financial assets and property looted by the Japanese; the repatriation of, and recompense for, Chinese laborers conscripted by the Japanese; reprisals against, and the repatriation of, Japanese nationals in formerly occupied countries, especially China; and prosecution of Japanese accused of war crimes.

All questions regarding these and other relevant records likely to be in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration should be directed to: Archives2reference@nara.gov

MAGIC Diplomatic Summaries (Entry A1-9030)

Boxes 1-19. Record location: 190: 37/3/1 - 4

This series consists of periodic intelligence summaries based on cryptographic [MAGIC] intercepts of diplomatic messages. Most of the summaries are drawn from messages between the Japanese Foreign Office and Japanese diplomatic posts during World War II. The messages relate to social, economic, political, and military conditions in all theaters of the war. The series also includes a small number of postwar summaries of intercepted diplomatic messages from France, Greece, Iran, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland.

The copies of the summaries from December 28, 1945 through January 4, 1946 were released to the IWG.